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to swaddle

to swaddle

12 3.8
To wrap a baby tightly in cloth to keep them warm
  • verb
  • /ˈswɒdəl/
: envolver al bebé
  • I don't even know if I swaddled him right.

When doctors swaddle her like this, she sleeps like a baby.

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Examples

  • Freckled, ginger-haired Sandy is sitting on her bed-couch, a swaddled baby held in her arms.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • To keep him warm, she decided to swaddle the baby tightly in a soft blanket.

  • When doctors swaddle her like this, she sleeps like a baby.

  • I was just swaddling you because you seemed scared.

  • The infant was entirely swaddled in flannel; only his tiny face showed.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • An attendant bathed and swaddled the baby and placed it with its head toward the fire.

    Academic text (2004)
  • A few moments later, Hetje placed the swaddled child in Sally's arms.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • The nurse nods, moves to an isolette containing a swaddled baby, its head obscured by the blanket.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Martha watched Nettie Lee bending over Gonsalves, swaddling him tighter in his blanket.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The nurse will swaddle the newborn carefully to ensure he feels secure while sleeping.

Synonyms

to tuck in
vsto swaddle
  • Informal
53 3.0

To put covers around someone in bed to keep them warm

is tighter wrapping of infants to limit movement rather than arranging bedding
to swath
vsto swaddle
  • US
5 8.2

To wrap something completely in cloth or bandages

is used for infants and is tighter to limit movement
to duddle
vsto swaddle
  • Archaic
9.9

To wrap someone or something warmly in a blanket

is tighter to restrict infant movement and ensure warmth

How Tight

to restrain
86 4.6
to bind
132 3.2
to swaddle
12 3.8
to wrap
729 1.0
to cover
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

swaddle infinitive
swaddled past
swaddled past participle
swaddling present participle
swaddles third person singular

Etymology

Swaddle comes from an old word for a 'band' or 'strip of cloth', the same idea as swathe. So to swaddle a baby is to wrap them tightly in cloth to keep them warm and calm.